A processing apparatus with: an irradiation apparatus that emits an energy beam; and a supply apparatus that supplies materials to an irradiation position of the energy beam, the processing apparatus forms a build object by moving the irradiation position from a first position on a first object to a second position that is away from the first object.

A method of aligning at least one laser beam of an additive manufacturing arrangement. The method includes measuring a surface of the calibration plate at a plurality of measurement points using the coordinate measuring machine. The method further includes generating a correction field based on the plurality of measurement points using the coordinate measuring machine. The method further includes writing at least one fiducial mark on the surface of the calibration plate using the at least one laser beam. The method further includes generating calibration data for the surface of the calibration plate using the calibration system. The method also includes aligning the laser beam within the additive manufacturing system based on the calibration data and the correction field using the computing device by comparing a position of the fiducial mark from the calibration data with the correction field to determine a corrected position of the laser beam.

A method of aligning at least one laser beam of an additive manufacturing arrangement. The method includes measuring a surface of the calibration plate at a plurality of measurement points using the coordinate measuring machine. The method further includes generating a correction field based on the plurality of measurement points using the coordinate measuring machine. The method further includes writing at least one fiducial mark on the surface of the calibration plate using the at least one laser beam. The method further includes generating calibration data for the surface of the calibration plate using the calibration system. The method also includes aligning the laser beam within the additive manufacturing system based on the calibration data and the correction field using the computing device by comparing a position of the fiducial mark from the calibration data with the correction field to determine a corrected position of the laser beam.

The present invention relates to an additive manufacturing method and apparatus that is configured to construct a mold in additive layers, and a three-dimensional object therein in layers equal to or thicker than the mold construction layers. Without a powder bed needed, the mold defines the geometry, dimensions and surface finish of a three-dimensional object manufactured, so that in the process an energy source or combined sources can be selected from a large group for fusion, sintering, consolidating, joining, curing, or hardening in processing different forms and types of feedstock materials to manufacture metallic, polymeric or composite objects or parts.

An additive manufacturing device may include a material supply, a robot, and a printing head coupled to a distal end of the robot and configured to receive printing material from the material supply. The additive manufacturing device may have an IR holographic device configured to generate a targeting hologram, an IR sensor, and a controller coupled to the robot, the printing head, the IR holographic device, and the IR sensor. The controller may be configured to cause the printing head to dispense the printing material to form an object based upon the targeting hologram.

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the gas plume) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the gas plume) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

An additive manufacturing process is disclosed that involves positioning a metallic layer beneath a component substrate and welding the metallic layer to the component substrate using laser energy.

An additive manufacturing device performs manufacturing of an additively manufactured article by supplying a powder material to an irradiation region of an electron beam, laying and leveling the powder material, irradiating the powder material with the electron beam, and melting the powder material. The additive manufacturing device determines whether or not the powder material has scattered during manufacturing of the article. When it is determined that the powder material has scattered, an irradiation region R is heated by a heater before a new powder material is supplied to the irradiation region R. Manufacturing of the article is restarted after the new powder material has been supplied to the heated irradiation region.

Method for operating an apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, comprising the steps: Arranging at least one prefabricated product (12) in a build plane (11), Layerwise applying build material (3) in a manufacturing region (16) that is delimited by at least a first side (14) of the prefabricated product (12) or the build plane (11), particularly bottom sides, and at least one second side (15) of the prefabricated product (12), particularly a side wall of the prefabricated product (12) Selective consolidation of at least one consolidation zone in the manufacturing region (16) dependent on a geometry of an object (2) to be additively built on the prefabricated product (12) Repeating the layerwise application and consolidation until the object (2) is finished